Veritas Software extends technology leadership with new split mirror option for VERITAS Volume Manager

VERITAS Software Corporation has introduced version 3.1 of VERITAS Volume Manager and its new option VERITAS FastResync, featuring better methods for managing and analysing data across enterprise storage environments. VERITAS FastResync creates and manipulates mirrored copies of databases and other critical application data online. This new feature combines with other VERITAS Volume Manager enhancements to give large organisations greater control over mission-critical information.

"The ability to split and analyse large volumes of data has traditionally only been available using high-end expensive hardware solutions," says Dennis Martin, analyst, Evaluator Group. "With the release of the VERITAS FastResync on version 3.1 of VERITAS Volume Manager, companies now have a cost-effective solution for manipulating massive volumes of data, which will redefine how organisations deploy technology to extend their competitive advantage."

Streamlining mirror resynchronisation

VERITAS FastResync is designed to help organisations managing large data-sets in online and offline environments by enabling rapid creation and manipulation of mirrored copies of databases and critical application data.

This new capability is ideal for decision-support environments, data replication, batch processing, data warehousing or other applications that are typically performed offline to negate their impact on production servers. VERITAS FastResync streamlines mirror resynchronisation at a fraction of the cost of hardware-based solutions by continually tracking changes made whenever the mirror copy is offline. The option exclusively reapplies updates to a mirror copy whenever the mirror is reattached to the original data volume.

"VERITAS Volume Manager is ideal for maximising application uptime, especially for fast-paced Internet-surge economies," says Nick van Noordwyk, regional director, Middle East and Africa at VERITAS Software. "Within enterprise storage environments, VERITAS Volume Manager is recognised as a `must have` data availability solution for its management and availability capabilities across heterogeneous storage devices."

Additional enhancements to the latest release of VERITAS Volume Manager, including a new multi-host graphical user interface (GUI), help provide the foundation for storage management solutions employing SAN, clustering, replication and traditional backup environments.

Hot-relocation feature maximises data availability

An improved "hot-relocation" feature within version 3.1 of VERITAS Volume Manager utilises hot storage pools online, which ensures data availability. During a system I/O failure, VERITAS Volume Manager`s hot-relocation feature relocates the trouble spot on the disk to a location where data is accessible to users. After the faulty disk is replaced, customers can return the data configuration back to its original state, using a new "unrelocate" feature while the system remains online. VERITAS Volume Manager ensures that performance-critical applications, such as online transaction processing, ebusiness and web-serving environments, are not interrupted.

Multiple host management leads GUI improvements

VERITAS Volume Manager`s Java-based GUI received several improvements designed to streamline management tasks across Sun Solaris and HP-UX environments. Administrators may now manage multiple host systems from a single console, which further centralises management of storage resources. A new feature called Object View provides a hierarchical view of disk-group configurations, allowing administrators to "drag and drop" subdisk objects, which simplifies configuration tasks. Additionally, a "read-only" mode on the GUI acts as a security measure against unauthorised commands and human error, building a greater level of protection into the administrative function.